keeping it small

while my big painting dries 

(see yesterday's post) 

i play with all these smaller marks, 

drawing quick, spontaneous faces... 

experimenting with ink. 

more flowers

these are still very much in progress, 

but i am loving all the layers of marks

and the madness of them... 

i'm diving into Lynne Whipple's joyful tutorials 

in BiG Bloom Wild Painting. 

wishing you a colourful weekend! 

a few things...

as we are getting close to the end of 2015

i'd like to share a few things i've experienced 

during this (what turned out to be a pretty intense) year... 

while painting 1 face a day for the past 349 days, 

i've realized that for me creativity is like a muscle: 

- we all have it, we all choose to use it in different ways, 

we all use it one way or another. 

- it needs some warm up moves.
 it can be very hard to get it going but once it's warm it flows,
it's more flexible, it has stamina. 

- it needs practice, the more i use it the stronger it gets.

- some days are tougher than others, 

but showing up, even for a little bit, 

can shift the mood of the day or at least build a little bit more experience. 

- it needs repetition.  for me many regular short creativity sessions 

are more beneficial than let's say a 5 hour stint once a week. 

(and it's also easier to put in place) 

- like any muscle it needs rest, recovery time, 

time to do something else, time to do nothing at all. 

- it needs courage, to keep going, 

to keep on keeping on... 

- it needs love... if i love it, i will keep doing it! 

oh and i believe creativity
also needs care and gentle attention. 

it needs to be well fed by everyday inspiration, 

curiosity and exploring. 

recovery

so last week i dropped all my paintings off at the 

framer to be prepared for the exhibition.

on the way back i started making a mental list 

of all the things i needed to do during that week

while i didn't have any painting to start or finish or touch up. 

(except for the daily face of course) 

and then the choice was made for me.

i got sick...

unwell for 3 days, which meant a lot of rest 

and taking care of myself. 

i don't believe in coincidence and as much as i 

resisted it at first, i welcomed the time out 

knowing it is what i needed right now.

today i feel much better, rested and refreshed!

my bossy little sausage, begging to go for a walk ;) 

strange...

via Pinterest 

yip! that happens to me all the time... 

does it happen to you? 

that was a wonderful movie by the way. 

walking

best way to start the week...  

with the little rascal of course ;) 

fuel for the soul

companion

this little creature, 

always by my side, 

adorable and bossy, 

she's the best little rascal!

here she is again making sure my pile of 50 faces is safe!

now what?

Misty Mawn's Full Circle workshop 

ends this week.

and that's probably why i've fallen into a creative rut...

surrealist collage on watercolor paper

it has been 12 weeks of phenomenal tuition.

i've been pushed, challenged and encouraged,  

i've learnt SO much, i've expanded...

it has been a big journey, it is coming to an end

and i'm asking myself:

now what? 

where to from here? 

 how do i keep up this incredible creative practice? 

(by the way Lisa Sonora Beam talks about 'why have a creative practice' here)

previously i would have jumped straight back into another 

course but that doesn't feel right at this point. 

this feels more like a new beginning, 

a different chapter in my creative practice.

so for now i'm going to take a breather, 

go for long walks on the beach, 

read a good novel 

and figure out what my next step is. 

see you soon

xxx

simplicity

autumn morning light,

on an autumn home garden mini bunch of handpicked flowers, 

in my mini handmade turquoise vase.

simple moments, simple joys. 

life lesson?

what i didn't expect when i started on my creative 

journey a few years ago is how much of the painting process

can be used as an opportunity for growth and possibility in my every day life. 

many experiences and emotions 

that show up while painting

are very similar to what happens off the canvas:

resistance, blocks, trust, distrust, doubts, 

ego-trips, expectations, hope, despondence, 

frustration, successes, courage, leaps, failures, learning curves... 

for example, i have noticed that most of my own work

that is hanging around our house and that i still love,

are paintings that emerged from a first attempt at something new, a place of curiosity,

no expectations, a place of playing and experimenting. 

i didn't worry whether it was meant for a gift, or for a specific wall or what it was

 "supposed" to look like... 

i was unattached to the outcome, no expectations, just playing. 

i do believe that when i approach life the same way, 

with playfulness, with a child like willingness to explore new things,

when i immerse myself in the process without worrying about the outcome, 

with endless curiosity...

then life is that much more 

SUCCULENT! 

"FREEDOM LIES IN BEING BOLD." Robert Frost

my bright sunflower still life, oil on canvas, 

still a work in progress. 

PLAYING! 

simplicity

the intense summer heat doesn't seem to want to lift

this side of the planet...

 and i'm dreaming of a rainy cold day to cozy up, 

read a book

 and spend all day inside.

images from here